Parish- and Pilgrimage Church "Our Lady on the Mountain"

The Astl Altar
The Astl Altar in Hallstatt’s parish church is one of the finest masterpieces of late Gothic woodcarving. This splendid winged altar was created between 1510 and 1520.

Remarkably, we even know the name of its maker. On the shoulder cloth of a High Priest – a detail visible only at Christmas, when the inner wings are closed – a few letters can still be read: …onhart Astl. Leonhart Astl, who had his workshop in the Gmunden area, was thus the local artist behind this extraordinary work.

Because of its double set of wings, the altar has three different “faces”:

• Throughout the year: the central image remains on view.

• Advent and Christmas: the outer wings are opened, revealing four painted panels and four reliefs. Among them is the Circumcision of Christ, where Leonhart Astl signed his work.

• Lent: both sets of wings are closed, displaying painted scenes from the life of Christ.

In the central shrine, Mary appears with the Christ Child, flanked by Saint Catherine on the left and Saint Barbara on the right.

The painted panels show the Birth of Mary and the Annunciation (above), as well as the Presentation in the Temple and the Death of Mary (below).